The present invention generally relates to automated machinery, and more particularly to a box making machine which includes synchronization apparatus for synchronizing the various steps of the box forming process.
Automated machinery, including box forming machines, is well known wherein a raw or semi-finished material is carried through a series of steps to form a finished product. However, the automated machinery under discussion generally comprises of a plurality, or even numerous, number of individual separate machines which are successively disposed in a desired manner. Many of these component machines are frequently provided with independent drive means. With such arrangements, there arises the problem of synchronizing the operation of the machines in the chain to permit continuous and orderly production of the finished product. It is apparent that when any component machine falls out of synchronism with the balance of the machines, the entire chain is disrupted and synchronization must be restored before normal operation can resume. Component machines tend to fall out of synchronism when independently driven even if the drive means, in the form of motors, are operated on the same power lines whereby the frequency and voltage of the lines are the same. This results from slight variations in specifications of the machines, the loads applied to the machines as well as wear and frictional forces applied to the machines.
One approach to remedy the problem of synchronization is to operate all the component machines off a single drive motor which is mechanically coupled to each of the component machines. However, such an arrangement may require a very large drive motor. Further, such an arrangement requires mechanical coupling from the single motor to the individual component machines which increases the complexity, and therefore the cost, of the overall machine.